Breck Ruddick, the starting quarterback at Missouri State, was suspended indefinitely before yesterday’s game against Kansas State after allegations that he shattered a dog’s jaw. “It has recently come to the attention of head football coach Dave Steckel and Missouri State University that starting quarterback, Breck Ruddick, is accused of animal abuse,” the school announced in a statement, announcing the suspension and promising a further investigation.

In a lengthy Facebook entry that can be read in full at the bottom of this post, Missouri State student Shelby Filbeck accused Ruddick of beating her friend’s Australian shepherd that was under Ruddick’s watch so mercilessly that he shattered the dog’s jaw, and then allowed it to run away, where it was found the next day “in a parking lot covered in blood.”

The dog’s owner, Katie Riggs, told the KY3 that the Facebook account was accurate, but declined to comment further. KY3 adds:

Another post on Facebook alleges to be attributed to Ruddick.

The post reads; “I punched it. The story that’s getting told is way out of proportion. I didn’t break the dogs the [sic] jaw nor did I let him run away. I was dog sitting him and he was on my bed, I wanted him off the bed so I gave him like a tap to try and get him off but he didn’t move so I gave him a little push and he bit my hand not extremely hard but enough to shock me. I’ve apologized to her and paid all the bills because I felt so bad. I don’t hurt animals that’s not who I am. If you don’t believe about what happened to the dog I have proof of the bill that I didn’t break it’s jaw.”

KY3 reached out to Ruddick for comment on Saturday, and asked if the above comment was made by him. We have not had a response from Ruddick.

Here is Shelby Filbeck’s full Facebook entry, which includes photos of the dog and of its jaw: